Tuesday 28 June 2011

THE BRAHMO SAMAJ OF HAZARIBAG

Subhashis Das


    Amidst the chaos and the filth of the Main Road of Hazaribagh and opposite to the main police station lies a patch of green; an oasis of serenity and tranquility. The sanctuary of  Brahmo Samaj is a  more than a century old heritage  which is doling out charitable services to the needy of the town since 1934. 

Plate 1. The Temple or the prayer hall of Brahma Samaj was built in 1867. This makes it the oldest temple of modern Hazaribagh


   The Brahmo Samaj was founded in 1867  by Rai Bahadur Jadunath Mukhopadhaya, the doyen of education, primarily education of women in Chotanagpur and Hazaribagh.

   It's temple or the prayer hall (Plate 1) 
with its unique architecture was built way back in 1867 and it still stands with all its grace and aplomb and is immaculately preserved by the count-them-in-your- fingers Brahmo Samajis, mostly Bangalis of the town.

 A charitable dispensary with a wide open verendah (Plate 2) rendering  homeopathic medicines to the sick was constructed by Acharya Manmatho Dasgupta, the grandfather of the internationally acclaimed Bangla film actress and director Aparna Sen and this still functions with tenacity in the premises since 1934.  filmmaker and actor.

Plate 2. The dispensary once boasted to have served to about a thousand patients a day. The clinic  was also visited by Dr.Rajendra Prasad during his tenure as the President of India. The dispensary was initially built by Acharya Manmatho Dasgupta, the grandfather of Aparna  Sen.



  The dispensary's team of three homeopathic doctors once served to about a thousand patients a day. Manmatho babu is believed to had regularly cycled about the outskirts of Hazaribagh to treat poor patients.

    Brahmo Samaj was graced by the visit of Dr.Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India during early 50s who commended the magnanimous service of benevolence the Brahmo Samajis were delivering.

Plate 3. Dr.Deepak Kundu of Brahmo Samaj is undoubtedly the oldest serving doctor of town rendering his services to people since 1962 till date !


Today the Brahmo Samaj dispensary houses Dr. Deepak Kundu (Plate 3) as its longest serving doctor since 1962 which certainly makes him the longest serving doctor in town.
The prayer hall or the prarthana griha of Brahmo Samaj (Plate 1) is believed to be one of the oldest temples of Hazaribagh.
Apart from indulging in charitable medicines Brahmo Samaj also holds weekly Rabindra Sangeet classes for all.

7 comments:

  1. Hazaribag ki alpgyaat Virasat par mahattvapurn jaankari di hai aapne, jise adhik-se-adhik logon tak pahunchana chahiye.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for sharing the snap of the heart of hazaribagh i.e. Brahmo Samaj. I have developed my skill towards music in this place. Suddenly a picture of childhood is in front of my eyes. Dr. Kundu had given me some medicines for some allergies, and it was almost free. Would love to see some more snaps of it, like Sri Shivkumar sir and his daughters, thakur sir and one another sir, who used to be the professor in Columba's college.....

    Thanks Again.
    Shipra.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Hazaribagh Bramho Samaj Charitable Homeo Dispensary was started in 1934 by my Grandfather Dr Sital Chandra Banerjee (Retd Sub-Registrar, Alipur, Kolkata). Later his youngest brother Dr Priya Ranjan Banerjee was Redident In-Charge of the Dispensary till 1961 when he shifted to Ranchi.
    At that time the Compounder was Late Mr Tulashi Das who I believe had 2 / 3 daughters. Mr Taulashi Babu as he was better known was with Dr Deepak Kundu till I think his severe illness leading to death.
    Dr Manamatha Das Gupta, father Dr Chidanada DG, film-maker, and Grand Father of Mrs Aparna Sen was the Resident of the HZB Bramho Samaj from 1954-55 to 1964-65 on his death.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for sharing. Aparna Sen's grandmother was a great friend of my grandmother and I remember them chatting away in town when she came to drop me off to school at one time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. আপনার ফোন নাম্বার দিলে বাধিত হব।

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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